Planned Parenthood files lawsuit as South Carolina heartbeat abortion bill becomes law
(The Center Square) – Immediately after Gov. Henry McMaster signed into law a measure that would ban most abortions in South Carolina, abortion advocates filed a lawsuit aimed at preventing the new law from going into effect.
Senate Bill 1, which criminalizes abortions if a fetal heartbeat can be detected, passed the House on Thursday in a final procedural vote, 79-35. McMaster signed it into law shortly thereafter.
“There’s a lot of happy hearts beating across South Carolina right now,” McMaster told a cheering crowd at the statehouse for the bill signing ceremony.
The new law also requires abortion providers to conduct an ultrasound and listen for a heartbeat before an abortion. Doctors found to be in violation of the law could have their licenses revoked and face felony charges punishable by up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
“Every year we’ve learned more and more about the humanity of the unborn. Every year, more and more, South Carolina citizens have gone to the polls and said we want pro-life legislators because we believe that every, every person born and unborn has a right to live,” said Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Berkeley. “We’re about to do something that I spent a quarter of a century to do and that is to shut down the abortion industry in this state.”
For proponents of the bill, passing legislation was only the beginning of the fight.
Immediately upon becoming law, Planned Parenthood and The Center for Reproductive Rights filed a lawsuit claiming the new South Carolina law is unconstitutional and violates “nearly five decades of settled Supreme Court precedent.”
“My office will vigorously defend this law in court because there is nothing more important than protecting life,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said in a statement.
A hearing to determine whether the law may remain in effect while the lawsuit is in court is scheduled for Friday.
Disclaimer: This content is distributed by The Center Square
